Monday, September 2, 2013

ALS of Michigan's 2013 Walk n' Roll for ALS

A year before my father’s death in April of 2013—this was two months before his diagnosis with ALS,
commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease— he had been getting around on
just fine on crutches, laughing, eating, and talking about what he would
do that summer when his leg was better.

Two years before, he was running around with his grandchildren,
enjoying his new retirement, and yelling at our cat for the umpteenth
time to “get down from that counter!”

Ten years before, he was working hard to support his family while dealing with the drama of raising two teenagers.

Twenty years before, he was carrying me around on his shoulders,
watching me try my hardest at a kiddy ballet class, and taking all the
kids for ice cream when it was warm enough to wear shorts. (Which, in
Michigan, is 60 degrees—we take what we can get!)

When my father
died from ALS this spring, he was unable to talk, unable to breathe on
his own, and unable to move anything more than his head and two of his
fingers, which he could only lift about half an inch. If that. The only
methods of communication we had were his facial expressions and an
alphabet board, which was more difficult than I could put into words.
Watching my father lose his ability to talk, move and breathe is
something that, even today, I am unable to comprehend.

There is
no cure for ALS. There are no treatments known to significantly impact
the progression of the disease or its symptoms. As the disease
progresses, most people diagnosed with ALS will require round-the-clock
care, medical equipment, and a medical support team. Even simple tasks,
like going to the bathroom or brushing their teeth or getting from a bed
to a chair, can become monumental and frustrating tasks. This is doubly
true if important medical equipment, like patient lifts and
wheelchairs, are not in the home.

ALS of Michigan provides
essential benefits to people diagnosed with ALS and their families.
Without the work of ALS of Michigan, thousands of people diagnosed with
the disease may go without equipment, medical support and mental support
that can make their life easier, more comfortable and just a little
fuller after diagnosis. Even the little things, like being able to be
moved to a favorite chair for an afternoon, can make a huge difference
in the quality of someone’s life.

This fall, I will be participating in the annual ALS of Michigan “Walk n’ Roll for ALS,”
which benefits ALS of Michigan and the many people that it supports. I
am hoping to raise $200 (or more!) to help this organization continue to
provide the essential services to those diagnosed with this disease,
their families, and their friends.

Please consider making a donation
in memory of my late father, who impacted more people than I think he
could ever know, and in honor of everyone who is currently struggling
with this terrible disease. Myself and my family would be incredibly
grateful for anything you can give to help support ALS of Michigan in
their work to make life easier for anyone affected by ALS.

Visitors to Versailles: From Louis XIV to the French Revolution by Daniëlle O. Kisluk-Grosheide and Bertrand Rondot [April 2018]Enchanted Islands: Picturing the Allure of Conquest in Eighteenth-Century France by Mary D. Sheriff [April 2018]The Little Book of Versailles by Dominique Foufelle [May 2018]

A Genealogy of Terror in Eighteenth-Century France by Ronald Schechter [June 2018]The Culture of French Revolutionary Diplomacy: In the Face of Europe by Linda Frey and Marsha Frey [June 2018]

Robespierre and the Festival of the Supreme Being: The search for a republican morality by Jonathan Smyth [June 2018]Marie Antoinette at Petit Trianon: Heritage Interpretation and Visitor Perceptions by Denise Maior-Barron [July 2018]

The Routledge Companion to the French Revolution in World History edited by Alan Forrest [July 2018]

In the Red and in the Black: Debt, Dishonor, and the Law in France between Revolutions by Erika Vause [October 2018]Versailles by Colin Jones [November 2018]

About Me

I am a history loving writer who enjoys reading and blogging in my spare time. I currently run three blogs: Reading Treasure, a blog dedicated to books and more about Marie Antoinette and 18th century France; Treasure for Your Pleasure, a Tumblr microblog dedicated to Marie Antoinette and her world; and my newest blog, Inviting History, a book blog dedicated to unique and overlooked history books.

Contact

If you need to contact me with any questions or comments or if you'd just like to chat, please feel free to do so at my email: vivelaqueen[@]yahoo.com.

Review Policy

I am more than happy to consider reviewing books that are relevant to any of my blogs and interests. This includes non-fiction books which represent a unique, overlooked or niche point of view as well as fiction or non-fiction about Marie Antoinette, the French Revolution, and 18th century France. If you are interested in having a book reviewed, please contact me at the email above.